


Shepard Vas Alerai

by DarkenedI



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Gen, More characters to be added later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-04-06 06:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4210935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkenedI/pseuds/DarkenedI
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU version of mass effect that begins with an 8 year old Jane Shepard being rescued from Mindoir by Rael'Zorah</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“We're receiving a distress signal from a nearby colony, Captain Zorah.” the head navigator of the Alerai called to the captain's position.  
“Colony alignment?” Most distress signals were broadcast in any and all languages. Not all colonies accepted help from quarians, however, Volus especially.  
“The signal is human, sir. It's on a planet called Mindoir. One of our pilgrims did some work there, and according to records he programmed a quarian distress signal into the blast.”  
“Play it.”  
_In time and tide it falls to the stars to deliver us_  
_For the empty horizons of the void have stricken us_  
_Without engine or home we drift_  
_Keelah Selai_  
“Divert to the colony and notify the Alliance.”  
“Message sent, coordinates set, all speed brought to bear.”  
“Hopefully there is something left, send a message to the marine squads to prep for a Levo-based search and rescue.”  
“Right away, Captain.” Rael'zorah Vas Alerai Nar Fiolonar walked quickly toward the elevator of the frigate, mulling over the possible reprecussions. The Alliance could be grateful for the aid, or they could view them like the rest of the galaxy; scavengers, thieves, vagabonds. He hoped for the former but reality insisted on the latter. The elevator opened up and he ran into his intended, Gisella Vas Alerai Nar Rayya. He had seen her with her mask off once when she needed to replace her suit, he had helped her into it with quick movements and mourned the loss of that sight when she sealed the mask underneath her hood. He had been smitten before, but now he was hopelessly in love with her.  
“Oh! Ella, are you going with the ground team? We could use your eyes.”  
“No, not this time, Captain, I need to work in the engine core again, one of the regulators is repeatedly firing out of sync with the others and it needs to be fixed before we hit another relay.” her shoulders slightly slumped at the thought of not being with her betrothed. “But I'll be here when you get back and... maybe after you're off duty...” she turned her body flirtatiously toward him and lightly grasped his arm. Rael jumped a bit at the contact, he could not understand how he could have been so lucky.  
“Ahem, um yes! Fine, good. I'll see you when we get back, hopefully the Alliance won't take offense to our help.”  
Smiling broadly he walked over to his equipment locker and began affixing the armored oversuit exoskeleton. A personal design based on Geth colossi, it could fire a rapid stream of mass effected ammunition from a larger weapon than a quarian's slight frame should be able to carry, easily out classing basic Geth units and most organic opponents. It was originally Captain Xen's idea, her research into Geth technology had yielded few breakthroughs in the cold war against their synthetic nemesis. Their reliance on shielding over thickened carapaces allowed for the simple, if inefficient solution. **"Systems online, carapace integrity at 83%, Ammunition supplies at 56% recommend resupply at earliest convenience."** The system chirped as it linked into his omni-tool.

“Captain! How is the second skin?” Asked a marine next to him, Nar Hessith if his suit was any indication  
“Functioning, if a tad low on heat sinks.”  
“You're expecting trouble?”  
“Yes, this planet is notoriously close to some Batarian routes.” Rael mused as they walked toward the gangplank.  
“Oh... Survivors first priority or search and retrieve?”  
“Survivors. Some one had to send the distress signal. If we can boost it we may actually get the Alliance's attention as opposed to them being unpleasantly surprised.” Rael squared his shoulders and shouldered the large rifle equipped to the exoskeleton.  
“Alright, trouble expected, move to cover as soon as we hit ground. I want Toldek and Gesh scanning the entire area for frequencies used by Batarian slavers and Alliance emergency channels.” he barked. The squad of 10 marines weren't a large, or well equipped force but they were cautious and systematic.  
“Coming in to the docking area captain, no hails were answered, but no shots or alarms were issued either.”  
“Bring us in, Hesh.” the gangplank lowered slowly as the varied weapons of the squad chirped to life and three bright drones flew over the top, probing the area and soaking up any shots.  
There were none. the silence was eerie, broken only by the methodical clanking of the mechanical armor.  
“Three bulk spread, listen for voices, keep each other close.” Rael commanded as the squad made their way into the colony. Around them fires were burning, impact marks scored the first few space dock doors but after that there was blood and trampled grass.  
“Slavers, Geth'shass.” growled Rael, Quarians usually never ended up as slaves, their technical skills weren't worth the cost of maintaining the environment necessary to keep them healthy. Most were just killed on sight. His pace quickened, scanning ahead of him for life signs. There was nothing for almost an hour, then one, very faint sign blinked on his HUD. Rushing toward the dot he began to hear anguished crying. He stopped at a crushed doorway, half the prefabricated building was covered by a collapsed roof and it would take at least an hour and a team to get through the rubble.  
“Captain, where did you go? We haven't found anything and Kellem want's to start collecting scrap and electronics.” his comm unit crackled to life and he chastised himself for disobeying his own order.  
“That's negative, we take nothing, just get Toldek to the distress beacon so he can boost it. I've found a survivor, but the building is collapsed and the exosuit doesn't increase the strength by enough to get through.” He switched his translator on and called out. “Hello? Can you hear me? My name is Rael'Zorah, I'm here to help.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From Jane's perspective from here on. Please forgive my misteps in tone and language. It's been a long time since I was 8 years old and nothing tragic happened to me then.

It had been a normal day for Jane. The sun was out and her and her friends were playing in Mr. Grossik's field. Amelia had found a baby Thorntid and they were enjoying looking up things about it on the extranet when they heard the screaming. Then there was fear, a solid wall of it that soaked up everything. She ran to her house and tried to lock the door and hide under her bed. She heard heavy boots and harsh growling as the door was forced open, the boots tracked blood and soot into the house, then everything shook and there was a loud boom. It had been a day... she thought, she wasn't sure. Her door was pushed shut and she couldn't move it. She had exhausted the emergency supply that was in her room.  
“Wake up, wake up. Mommy and daddy are fine, it's a trick and I'm sleeping. Mommy will come wake me up.” she repeated to herself before falling into a fitful sleep, adrenalin making the way for heavy sleep. She awoke the following morning and briefly forgot the previous day. Until the door didn't move. She sunk down and cried, banging on the door until she bruised her hand, it hurt and mommy wasn't there. Her heart hurt and daddy wasn't there to hug it away. Then there was a voice, it sounded odd and lilting, like music. It reminded her of a funny man in a special suit. He helped set up something, everyone liked him. Maybe he came back! Maybe that was it. He was back and everything was fine! She jumped and ran to the door.  
“I'm in here! Help me, my door won't open! Are mommy and daddy with you?! And Amelia, and Jake, and Taltha? Are they there too?”  
“My name is Rael'Zorah, I'm here to help you, my friends are going to move the thing blocking your door. Please stay far away from it if you can.” the voice said.  
“What're you going to do? Where are my parents?” she stepped back hesitantly from the door.  
“I'm not sure where your parents are. But we will try to find them if we can. What's your name?” the voice sounded sad, like Jake's dad when he told him his nana had gone to visit Mr. Mower.  
“My name is Jane, I'm eight years old an, next month I'm turning nine!” She puffed her chest out a bit. Dust shook from the roof as a dull explosion shuddered through her room. They were back, they tricked her with that voice. They weren't her friends, the man in the special suit was gone and they would growl now. She hid under her bed, shaking. Grunting and shouting came from her door and she shut her eyes tight, they wouldn't get her, she would fight. She would kick them and run for her father's room, there was a silvery blue thing she wasn't supposed to touch. But when dad would go out for a weekend and come back with a really yummy smelling thing he would take it. He watched him take it apart and rub it with a weird smelling rag before putting it back together. It would help her against the monsters.  
The door fell forward and she heard a big whirring and clanking sound and softer foot steps came into the room. “Jane? Are you here? I'm sorry we scared you, we're not here to hurt you.” the voice lied. It sounded like a girl, it was softer and lilted higher. She tried to stop shaking so she could run, like tag. She would beat Crassius at it tomorrow, when all this was over. She could run faster than his dog shaped legs today. She scrambled quickly from under her bed and ran face first into something incredibly hard and saw black and stars before nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

When she woke up next everything hurt, and she called for her mom. “Mom, I don't think I can go to school today, everything hurts and my face feels funny.” she moaned, coughing and spitting.  
“You won't have to go to school for a while now, dear.” The liar. The monster liar was still here. Her heart sped up and she jolted up.  
“No! You won't get me!” She tried to jump off her bed and run to the door to find her limbs were slow and they wouldn't move before three fingered hands gently grasped her shoulders.  
“What do you mean? Who won't get you?” The liar asked, she tried to fight back began to cry.  
“You! The monsters growled and clunked into my house! Where's mom and dad?!” her voice cracked into a heavy sob, she started leaning into the hand which turned into a hug and a shape like her mom.  
“You mean the Batarians?”  
“The-- the Batawhat? The monsters?” she sniffled and tried to wipe her nose.  
“The Batarians, the ones who attacked your home.” the liar said matter-of-factly and sad. Still like Mr. Gerard.  
“Where is mom? I want my mom.” she demanded and tried to shove the hand away, strangers in strange places, her dad had said. Don't let them near and find mom and dad as quick as possible.  
“I'm afraid she isn't here, dear.” The liar sounded more sad.   
“Where's Jake? And Amelia, and Taltha?” she asked.  
“I don't know, but they aren't here either.” the hand rubbed her back in circles, like her mom did when she got stung by a bug on her foot and couldn't stand on it for a day.   
“Where am I? Am I... dead?” she gulped down another sob and coughed, her face started to hurt from all the talking.  
“No dear, you aren't dead. You're on a ship called the Alerai, we're far away from your home now. You had a big bruise on your face from when you ran into the captain's exoskeleton.”  
“I ran into the captain?” Jane blinked and the room started to come into focus, it was blurry and she looked up, it made her want to be sick and she looked at a strange face. Not one of the monsters. It was pointy and glowy.  
“Yes,” the strange person's mouth was small and full of flat teeth, “Knocked yourself silly and got a concussion to boot. Luckily you should be physically fine in a few days. Humans heal rather quickly.”  
“When can I go see my mom and dad?” she asked again, “If I don't get home before dark daddy gets really mad and I get sent to bed early.” the person looked away, she was very sad.  
“Jane,” her eyes perked up at her name, “Your home is gone... everyone is, we only found you.”  
“It's gone?” her eyes began to water again, and her chest hurt like she had been punched.  
“Yes, Jane, I'm so sorry.”  
“No, no....” she devolved into sobbing again, the woman held her close until she grew too tired to cry anymore. Soft hands laid her down and pulled a sheet over her. She slept fitfully, drifting in and out and then into deep oblivion.  
“Jane? Dear it's time to wake up.”  
“Mom... I still hurt, my face feels all itchy.”  
“You need to get up now, dear.”  
“Okay fine.” Jane opened her eyes and everything flooded back again. She held tears at bay for now... She was a big girl, her mom had said, and big girls can meet the day at least. She held onto that memory, her mom making breakfast in the early blue light of morning, her eyes still foggy from sleep.  
“Jane, I have something for you. Something that will keep you safe when you're on the Alerai.” the woman from before said and then she coughed  
“Are you sick?” Jane asked.  
“A little bit. Our people get sick easily.” Jane could finally get a good look at the woman. Jane came up to just under her breast and the woman had a box.  
“I remember people like you! The special suits make you better! There was a man who... who.. “ she remembered home again, and it hit her like a hammer. She turned over, burying her face in the thin pillow, willing the tears back. The woman sat on her bed and rubbed her back gently.  
“Yes they do, and now you get to wear one too.” Jane sniffled and sat up  
“But I'm not sick,” she wiped her nose on her sleeve, looking at the box.  
“No, but this suit will keep you safe on our ships. Sometimes things break and you need something to protect you. The woman said, “My name is Gisella.” Jane kept her eyes on the box.  
“I'm Jane Shepard.” she said, holding out her hand. The woman looked at it curiously and took it, her small fingers fitting in the gap between the fingers.  
“Well, Jane, I need to make sure this fits you. Would you let me show it to you?”  
“I guess...” Jane wasn't quite sure, but she liked presents. She knew that. Gisella opened the box and took out a big lumpy bundle of cloth, it was blue and red and had a very pretty pattern. Her eyes lit up.  
“It's pretty. Thank you Ms. Gisella.” she said, remembering her manners.  
“It might not fit in all the right places, as you can see,” She gestured to herself “We're shaped different from humans and we had to make a few modifications. You won't have to wear it long though.” Gisella held out the bundle, and Jane took it, nearly dropping the heavy pile. Gisella pulled out a long piece of cloth that looked like a baby suit and handed it to her.   
“This goes on under everything so you don't get any blisters or irritation.”  
“It's like a sock!” she wiggled her toes.  
“Yes, yes I suppose it is” Gisella laughed and an orange light flashed on her wrist. “I'm sorry Jane, but I have to leave. I take care of the ship's engines and something is wrong. Get into the suit as quick as you can. Pants, sleeves, hood and mask. That order.” She said quickly and got up to where the door was.  
“Ok, I think I can do it.” Jane said, trying to fit into the undersuit. She wiggled around until it felt right. She decided her shirt and baggy pants were in the way and zipped it up. She took what looked like the pants, they were a little longer than her legs and bunched up around her feet. She would ask if Gisella could fix them like her mom did when she got clothes from Mrs. Allen. The sleeves were next and they ended in gloves, they were a bit big on her hands, her shoulders felt like she was swimming in the excess cloth. Only two pieces were left, the shirt went over her arms and head, it caught the shoulders of the sleeves and pulled them in. There were four buckles that hooked to the pants and held them in place over her small frame. She pulled up the hood and looked at the black glass, her shape reflected in it. She felt funny, like leaving something to go on a long trip. She picked up the mask and figured out where it fit. It clamped and sealed with a hiss that scared her at first, what happened next made her scream, everything got smaller. The leggings clamped down around her thighs and the gloves that were too large began to fit snugly around her hands and everything got tight, she tried to pull the mask off so she could breathe but she couldn't find the release. She struggled for a minute before curling into a ball and looking at her hands through the tinted plastic. “I feel weird.” she finally said. Her legs were still too small for the pants that ended in soft looking feet that only had two toes. She wiggled her feat about. Still five toes, not two. She would ask Gisella about that too.


End file.
